I've done 4,000 km on an electric unicycle #EUC 🛞🎉
Over the past 6 years, I used it for short trips in Prague, Kyiv and other cities
What's my experience? ✨
TL;DR
Love it! Great for short distances around city. *Much* safer ⛑️ and comfortable than a e-scooter 🛴
🧵👇
First of all - what is an electric unicycle (EUC)?
It is an self-balancing transport vehicle based on the invention of the gyroscope. Speed is controlled by leaning forward or backward and steers by rotating or tilting.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_unicycle
My model is a Ninebot One S2 (2016), purchased in 2017. It's an improved first generation model, I would say Gen 1.5 (today we have Gen 2).
Today you can buy much more powerful, faster unicycles with longer range and different extras - but the basic operation is the same.
What's inside? (for the technical guys)
• gyroscope, accelerometer, magnetometer
• electric motor (500W)
• 2x Li-ion batteries (2x 155 Wh)
• control board with Bluetooth
Manufacturer: If this device remind you of a Segway, that's no coincidence. Because the same technology and people are behind it. In fact, the American @Segway was bought out by Chinese startup Ninebot in 2015. One of @NinebotGlobal's big shareholders is @Xiaomi.
Most of my trips were short rides around my Prague neighborhood, about 2-5 km for 5-15 minutes. To go shopping, to the post office, that sort of thing.
It's perfect for this use-case. Allows you to take advantage of nearby businesses and save time.
I've often taken the unicycle on trips around Europe. It's great as a means of transport for exploring the city. Especially if there is a good infrastructure for bikes. Budapest or Berlin are great. The problem is sometimes government regulation (I'll explain later).
The maximum speed of the model I have is 24km/h (the legal limit is usually 25km/h), which for me in 95% of cases was perfectly sufficient. Cruising speed was about 15-20km/h.
The range is up to 30km, but I've never ridden that much at once. Most of my rides fit within 5km
The biggest advantage of the unicycle is the hands-free control. Thanks to the self-balancing mechanism, you control the ride using only your feet and body balance.
Having your hands free is always useful. Now when I switch to a scooter, using hands annoys me.
I also find not using hands much safer, sometimes it's hard to keep your hands on the handlebars.
Controlling a unicycle is much smoother and more natural than anything else. It really does feel safe. And you can hold the umbrella :) ☔
One of the reasons it is so safe and also very comfortable is the large 14" wheel. Compared to the small 8.5″ wheels on scooters, the difference is noticeable. Every pothole won't hurt as much. It's possible to ride prague cobblestones and partially outdoors.
The advantage of both hands-free operation & one wheel is also great manoeuvrability. There is no problem to turn almost on the spot. Acceleration and deceleration is very fast. Both help a lot in preventing collisions.
Regarding accidents: in the whole time I had only 2 non-trivial accidents, when I fell and bruised myself. Both were caused by bad surfaces, the first time was a hard braking on gravel and the second time was ultra slippery tiles.
If one rides sensibly, most accidents can be avoided due to great maneuverability and handling. It helps a lot that you can very easily jump off at any time (and that the device is so small and light that it won't cause damage).
However, safety has a lot to do with longer learning time - it is only safe with enough mileage and experience, until then extreme respect and caution is needed. I'd recommend wearing a helmet (I don't wear 🫣).
It's certainly not a toy for children ⚠️
The small size of the whole device and the low weight (12.4 kg) are useful. You can easily take it with you on trains, buses etc., or carry it by hand when needed. Today's models have telescopic handles that make transportation even more convenient.
The last benefit I'll mention is that riding an electric unicycle is really fun. It takes a while to get used to it, but learning is an adventure and once you get the hang of it you will absolutely enjoy it!
Talking about disadvantages - unicycle is not comfortable for longer single trips (10km+). Riding in traffic between cars, for example in Prague traffic is dangerous. A sidewalk, bike path, etc. is often the only & best option.
Another disadvantage is the steep learning curve. It takes a relatively long time to learn. And even longer before you feel safe. But getting there is worth it.
Basic training can take a few days or weeks. And proper mastery can take months or years.
The learning curve is similar to that of a bicycle, but a little more challenging. It depends on previous experience, balance skills, persistence and even the EUC model.
For some people, it takes a long time, others get the hang of it and are almost ready to ride.
Regulations: The legislation mostly doesn't take them into account, so it leads to various situations. Mostly they qualify as "pedestrians".
But there are countries like the UK, Netherlands, Germany or Australia where they are banned! ❌
So let's recap,
Advantages ✅:
• hands-free driving
• great control and manoeuvrability
• comfortable and safe
• easy to transport
• fun!
Disadvantages ❌:
• steep learning curve (temporary)
• not suitable for longer journeys or busy roads
• regulations
With its unique combination of comfort, utility and fun, the EUC cannot be compared to electric scooters, segways and similar vehicles.
It's something between a walk🚶 and a bike 🚴♂️ and perfect for short routes, the so-called "last mile".
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_mile_(transportation)
I'm excited about the electric unicycle. It's one of the most useful things I've bought in years and I'm glad I did. It has changed my life - saved me time, opened up new horizons and brought in fun and adventure.
Thanks for your attention! I hope you enjoyed the thread!